Meeting of 26/5/16 : Brian, Maree, Rebecca, Bernadette and Nigel.

Meeting of 26/5/16 : Brian, Maree, Rebecca, Bernadette and Nigel.

We broadly considered the Year 7 topics and then started to develop an outline of the 'Key Knowledge' that needs to be covered in each broad topic. This lead to varied discussions about the order that the broad topics should be taught based on prior learning that students would develop through the previous topic.

We then discussed possible practical activities, assessment tasks, that would support the learning. As this is a big task  we focused on what type of assessment items we currently do for each topic - this was added to a google sheet - where we can all access and start adding resources to.

Plenty of discussion related to assessment tasks:  how many, type, variety, choice , what to asses/comment on for SIMON, yet still remain "sane" - do we have to assess and comment on all items for SIMON, key assessments tasks to add on SIMON, Practical reports -assess each one, or do an overall summary for each semester,  Cheat sheets - should we use them or not, what year levels if we do use them,  lots to chat about for future meetings.

Link to google sheet - Year 7 Science planning   https://goo.gl/buL0Mv

Present: Nigel, Marie, Bernadette, Rebecca, Brian and Carolyn - 19/5/16.

Shared information and resources gathered at the Oxford Uni press - Education Conference - with the rest of the PLT team.

Discussed development of Inquiry Based Learning (consideration of Bentley Secondary School template from Oxford PLT).  Look at the Inquiry Investigation Template  - the example inquiry investigation

The concept of 'What if ..... ' type learning to be explored.

Agreed that these resources are useful and we can use them - tweak/refine  to suite  our learning needs.

Confirmed hat we need to start putting units together for next week's meeting

NOTED ** States of Matter need to be covered in Y7 and Light/Sound to be covered in Y8 this year due to curriculum changes in 2017.

Next meeting look at the  'States of Matter' & 'Separating Mixtures' in Y7 this year.

BYO resources ideas to share...

** still to contact Discovery re: year 9 units...

Oxford University Press Education Conference - Attended by Nigel and Maree

Nigel and I went to Melb for the OUP Education Conference.

The Conference was put on by  looking at OUP - so they could promote their new textbooks and digital resources for the new F-10 curriculum. 

Keynote 1

Turia Pitt

amazing story of resilience, determination - burnt 70% of her body, while doing a marathon in the Kimberly - now motivational speaker - and "iron woman" - had just competed in an event the week before.  

http://www.saxton.com.au/turia-pitt/#speaker-profile


Keynote 2:
VCAA Executive Director, Dr David Howes,  who spoke about the new Vic F-10 Curriculum, why it was changed from AusVELs and the major changes. 

Aus Curric mainly content.

Victoria wanted Critical thinking, metacognition, social skills, resilience recognised - OECD Report   Want these to be included and to be explicitly taught and assessed. Also learning is a continuum not static in year levels -up to 4-5 year levels in one class - F-10 curric in two year bands attempt to recoginise this. Having year levels can limit "top end" students ( Gratten Report) 

Student with Disabilities - level also have levels within - A-D - as adjustments for students with Disabilities - thus F-10 Curric is inclusive for all students

Impass with other states - no movement from them - most of what is in Aus Curric is Victorian anyway - we just tweaked it to suit ourselves...

MOST IMPORTANT Piece in the puzzle - Stability - will stay for 6 years.. NO change maybe slight modifications  - BUT recognise teachers are tired of change. 

( Marzano 2003 ) ** need to google this and find our more.

Session 1

Implementing the Victorian Curriculum: Science - Maria James - VCAA

Below is a link to one of Maria's presentations - a larger version of what Maria  presented to us. 
has examples of "ethics"  & "critical thinking"  etc ideas for these within the science curric.

http://www.sciencevictoria.com.au/documents/VCAAUpdate2015_000.pdf

Session 2
Inquiry Based Experiments in Years 7-10 to Prepare for VCE Science Success - Carrie Bloomfield - Bentleigh Sec College

Had a great rubric that we can use/ adapt for practical reports  and inquiry investigations - definitely a great tool.  That we can use as a science faculty.  
only have a hard copy at the moment - could easily make our own. 

Creation of "what if" questions - as a start to the inquiry process and extension for those top kids.  - these "what if questions"can easily be transformed into the hypothesis.

"What if we add warm water?"

If warm water was used, then the alkazer tablet would react/dissolve quicker, because heat energy in the causes the table to break apart quicker, and thus dissolve quicker. 


Session 3

Oxford Science for the Victorian Curriculum - Helen Silvester

Helen is the author of the Oxford Uni Press - Science text books - she is one on the ball teacher - Head of Science at Mentone Girls Grammar - so still a practising teacher. 

They created the "what if questions" .

Couldn't find good texts books - always too crowded too much info - created her own booklets - went from there... 

Final Keynote:

Ahn Do - the happiest Refugee

another inspirational, emotional and funny  keynote - showed how teachers can make a difference - and what kindness and resilience can do. 

had both Nigel and I in laugher and tears ...

http://www.saxton.com.au/anh-do/

Meeting of May 12th 2016 - Brian, Nigel, Maree, Bernadette and Carolyn.

Reviewed the various content descriptions and some specific elaborations. The integrated studies unit 'Discovery' in Y9 was also discussed regarding components of the Science curriculum that may be covered within other domains. It is proposed to speak with those within the 'Discovery' team to clarify the current curriculum that is covered.

Science / Levels 7 and 8 / Science Understanding / Biological sciences










Science / Levels 9 and 10 / Science Understanding / Biological sciences

It was proposed that at least in Y7&8 each broad topic area of Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science and Physics would be taught for a single term each, incorporating the varied content descriptions.

Also proposed to offer selective Science electives in semester 2 of Y10 for students to mitigate the reduced engagement within some students in the latter part of the year.

More photos from the First meeting and the Initial Spreadsheet

First meeting - 5/5/2016

PLT - team - Nigel B, Bern A, Carolyn T, Rebecca McL, Maree T

We gathered all relevant documents - went through the F-10 Curric - looking at where the topics fit in and compared to what we already do.

We then brainstormed on the white board - to set out the topics, within the yr 7 - 10 structure.

next step - put this into a spreadsheet and then start to drill down into the topics a bit more.